C Y Plastic recycling

Plastic recycling is the reprocessing of plastic waste into new and useful products. When performed correctly, this can reduce dependence on landfills, conserve resources and protect the environment from plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The simplest of plastic recycling processes involves collecting, sorting, shredding, washing, melting, and pelletizing. The actual particular processes vary based on plastic resin or type of plastic product. The plastic recycling process steps 1. Collection + distribution The first step in the mechanical recycling process is the collection of post-consumer materials from homes, businesses, and institutions. This can be done by either local government or private companies, with the latter often a popular option for businesses. Another option is taking plastics to communal collection points such as designated recycling bins or facilities. This may be as simple as a bottle bank on a street corner or as complex as a local waste site with large areas for various recyclable and non-recyclable municipal solid waste (MSW). 2. Sorting + categorizing The next step in the plastic recycling process is sorting. There are several different types of plastic (see below), which need to be separated from each other by recyclers. Further to that, plastics might be sorted by other properties such as color, thickness, and use. This is done by machines at the recycling plant and is an important step to increase the efficiency of plants and avoid the contamination of end products. 3. Washing Washing is a crucial step in the plastic recycling process since it removes some of the impurities that can impede the operation, or completely ruin a batch of recycled plastic. The impurities targeted in this step commonly include things such as product labels and adhesives as well as dirt and food residue. While plastic is often washed at this stage, it is important to remember that this doesn’t take away from the importance of ensuring plastics